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Sick? Flu? Should You Exercise Or Stay In Bed?

12 Mar

Starve a cold, feed a fever. Just go “sweat it out.” Yes, there are many urban legends on how to defeat the common cold, and even the flu. But what do the experts have to say about all this?

It depends.

Depending on what is going on with your specific condition, exercise can be a good thing… or a bad thing.

Exercise is a good thing at the right time. But sometimes your body needs a break and you have to learn to listen to it.

According to Keith Veselik, M.D., Director of Primary Care at Loyola University Health System, whether or not you should exercise can depend on your specific disease. When you’re sick, your body is fighting an illness and that takes energy. The added stress to the body can be dangerous for people with heart conditions. If you have diabetes, you may need to monitor your blood glucose levels more often. If you have a medical condition and you’re not sure if it’s safe to exercise, consult with your doctor.

Still, Veselik says a general rule is that it’s okay to exercise if your symptoms are “above the neck, such as a sore throat or runny nose.”

It is also important to understand that you should not exercise at the same level when you are sick as when you are healthy. A little exercise at the right time can help you feel better and fight sickness. Too much can break your body down and make things much worse.

The difference between exercise helping and hurting can be a very fine line. When in doubt, err on the “exercise light” side.

It may be dangerous to exercise if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Shortness of breath or chest congestion
  • Body aches
  • Diarrhea or vomiting
  • If you feel dizzy or light-headed when you stand up.

Two Things You Should Do If You Don’t Want Back Pain.

12 Mar

It’s funny how the more we learn about ourselves and the world around us, the more established “facts” turn out to be completely wrong and the opposite of what is “true.” For example, new research concludes that people with low back pain will achieve greater benefits by exercising more, not less.

In a study done by the University of Alberta on 240 men and women with chronic lower back pain showed, those who exercised 4 days a week had a better quality of life, 28 percent less pain, and 36 percent less disability. Those who hit the gym only 2 or 3 days a week did not show the same level of change.

“While it could be assumed that someone with back pain should not be exercising frequently, our findings show that working with weights 4 days a week provides the greatest amount of pain relief and quality of life,” said Robert Kell, lead author of the study and an Assistant Professor of Exercise and Physiology at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus.

Here is something really important from the study… The participants were split into four groups of 60. One group exercised with weights 2 days a week, another 3 days a week, and a third group 4 days a week. The fourth group did not exercise with weights.

All groups were tracked for 16 weeks. At the end of the 16 weeks, the level of pain reportedly decreased by 28% in the 4-day a week group, by 18% in the 3- day a week group, and by 14% in the 2-day a week group.

So What Does This Mean To You?

It depends. Every case of back pain is individual and you should not just run out today and start lifting weights. That could be a disaster.

If you have back pain, your first move should be to get a complete examination by a qualified doctor who treats back pain every day.

Chiropractors are specially trained to diagnose and treat low back pain and can tell you what the probable cause of your back pain is and the best treatment methods for your individual case.

But clearly, for many low back sufferers, exercise is a very good thing.

Now for something else that can possibly help your back pain…

As If Lung Cancer Wasn’t Bad Enough…

For quite some time, researchers have known that smoking is a risk factor for chronic pain disorders. More specifically, smoking has been linked to increased risk for low back pain, spinal disk problems, and poor outcome after surgery.

Now, a new study published in the December 2012 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found that smokers suffering from spinal disorders and related back pain reported greater discomfort than spinal disorder patients who stopped smoking during an eight-month treatment period.

The study analyzed the pain reported by more than 5,300 patients with back pain and related conditions.

The results as reported in Science Daily: “At the time of entry into care, patients who had never smoked and prior smokers reported significantly less back pain than current smokers and those who had quit smoking during the study period. Current smokers reported significantly greater pain in all visual analog scale (VAS) pain ratings — worst, current and average weekly pain — when compared with patients who had never smoked.”

It was also noted that patients who quit smoking reported greater improvement than those who continued to smoke and the group that continued to smoke had no reported improvement in pain.

The leading author of the study said that nicotine increases pain. According to the study, if you quit smoking, your condition should improve. If you continue to smoke, you may see no improvement, regardless of what treatment you receive. If you smoke, you are dramatically decreasing your chances of getting better from any treatment, including surgery.

Here is the conclusion of the study: “Given a strong association between improved patient-reported pain and smoking cessation, this study supports the need for smoking cessation programs for patients with a painful spinal disorder.”

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Super Storm Sandy Destroyed Many Things, But Not The Human Spirit. This Wonderful Story Is Proof…

11 Mar

(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

Super Storm Sandy is said to be the largest hurricane on record at over 1,000 miles wide. The highest wind gusts (94 mph) were recorded in Eatons Neck, New York. 33 inches of snow piled up in Clayton, West Virginia. Waves were 39.67 feet 500 miles southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey… 32.5 feet just outside New York Harbor entrance and 21.7 feet in lower Lake Michigan.

The devastation was unimaginable. Homes were destroyed, the power was out for an estimated 7.4 million people, and over 110 people were killed in the storm.

There was and still is plenty to curse about that storm, but there are also some amazing stories, stories that show the good in people and how we come together in a time of need.

Here is one of the most amazing stories from Super Storm Sandy…

As the story goes, Christine is a homeowner in Toms River, New Jersey. She evacuated her home before Sandy hit. When she returned to her home, she found a note. The note had evidently been left by someone who had broken into her home during the storm while he was trying to survive.

The person “stole” a blanket and jacket to try to keep from freezing to death. The person who broke into Christine’s house was a 28 year old New Jersey man named Mike. The note was basically Mike’s last words and request to contact his father and let him know he had died.

Here’s what the note said: “Whoever reads this I’m DIEING – I’m 28 yrs. old my name is Mike. I had to break into your house. I took blankets off the couch. I have hypothermia. I didn’t take anything. A wave thru me out of my house down the block. I don’t think I’m going to make it. The water outside is 10ft deep at least. There’s no res[c]ue. Tell my dad I love him and I tryed get[t]ing out. His number is ###-###-#### his name is Tony. I hope u can read this I’m in the dark. I took a black jacket too. Goodbye. God all mighty help me.”

A picture of the note spread like wildfire over Facebook and Twitter. Then, it was seen by radio talk show host, Justin Louis. Justin called the number in the note and someone answered.

The person who answered the phone was Tony. Justin told Tony about the note and Tony said that Mike is his son. Then, Tony asked if Justin wanted to talk to Mike.

Yes, Mike had survived! Justin interviewed Mike, and Mike told him how he had been swept out to sea for hours. His house was flooding and when he walked out the door, he was literally swept away into the bay.

Mike couldn’t make it back to his house because the current was too strong. He spent 5 hours battling the current and waves until ending up at Christine’s house where he grabbed some clothes and wrote the note. He was at Christine’s house for 2 hours before he was picked up by a man named Frank on a Waverunner. Frank rescued Mike and brought him to his house.

Now, Mike says he is afraid of the dark because of all that time he spent in the bay with 20 foot waves crashing over him, but that’s a lot better than the alternative.

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If You Have Knee Arthritis, Is There Anything You Can Do About It?

11 Mar

Knee arthritis is not only common, it can be life-changing. Studies show that nearly 1 in 2 people may develop symptomatic knee osteoarthritis by age 85.

What Is Osteoarthritis Of The Knee?

Osteoarthritis or “OA” is the most common form of arthritis. OA is a condition where the cartilage between joints wears away, causing pain.

Then, when enough synovial fluid (a naturally occurring lubricant found in the knee) andcartilageisgone,thepaincanbeunbearable and require total knee replacement.

If You Have Knee Arthritis, Is There Anything You Can Do About It?

According to researcher, Dr. Tatyana Shamliyan, “Several guidelines recommend non- drug treatment, including exercise, electrical stimulation, tai chi and esthetics.” Her team analyzed the evidence and came up with results that were sometimes at odds with those guidelines. They looked at how the therapies affected pain, functioning, and disability. “Based on the analysis, we can’t conclude sustained benefit with tai chi, manual therapy or massage, or transcutaneous electrical [nerve] stimulation.”

Dr. Shamliyan’s team reviewed nearly 200 studies and found there was evidence that low impact aerobic exercise and water exercise improved function and decreased disability. Aerobic exercise, strength training and therapeutic ultrasound reduced pain and increased mobility. However, the best outcomes came when patients stuck to their exercise program. This is particularly important as exercise can increase knee pain in the short-term.

It should be noted that the study did not show that intense exercise was any better than moderate exercise.

The take home message here is that it looks like certain moderate exercise can help some of the symptoms associated with knee OA.

But this does not mean you should take it upon yourself to “just go exercise.”

If you suffer with knee OA, you should see a qualified physician. They will be able to determine the best treatment program for your individual case.

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Does Green Tea Decrease Risk Of Cancer?

10 Mar

A study recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition investigated the association of regular tea intake (greater than 3 times per week for greater than 6 months) with risk of digestive system cancers.

The study was based on middle-aged and older Chinese women.

Results: Women who consumed ≥150g tea/mo (2–3 cups/day) had a 21% reduced risk of digestive system cancers. The association was found primarily for colorectal and stomach/esophageal cancers.

Want To Add 4.5 Years To Your Life?

A recent study published in the medical journal PLoS One pooled self-reported data on leisure time physical activities and Body Mass Index (BMI) scores from nearly 650,000 individuals over 40 years old. Their goal was to calculate the gain in life expectancy associated with specific levels of physical activity.

A physical activity level equivalent to brisk walking for up to 75 minutes per week was associated with a gain of 1.8 years in life expectancy relative to no leisure time activity.

Even better, having a physical activity level at or above 150 minutes of brisk walking per week was associated with an overall gain of life expectancy of 3.4 – 4.5 years.

In another study, 150 minutes/week of moderate intensity leisure-time physical activity led to a 14% lower coronary heart disease risk compared with those reporting no leisure-time physical activity. Those engaging in the equivalent of 300 minutes per week of moderate- intensity leisure-time physical activity had a 20% lower risk.

What does this mean? Basically, it’s what we have known for quite some time. Moderate exercise is good and it can, most likely, extend your life.

But, what’s really important is you do not have to go crazy. Go for a brisk walk several times per week, or every day if you can, and you should see some healthy results.

Pay It Forward Here Is How.

10 Mar

Have you seen the movie Pay It Forward?

If you haven’t, you probably should. Let me give you a very good reason why…

In the movie, a little kid teaches the adults a very big lesson via a concept he calls “pay it forward.”

Pay it forward is used to describe the concept of asking that a good deed be repaid by having one done for others.

In other words, if I did a good deed for you, you would not do a good deed for me in return. Instead, you would find someone else and do a good deed for them.

This concept is not new. The movie just made it popular.

In fact, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote about this concept in his essay, Compensation back in 1841: “In the order of nature, we cannot render benefits to those from whom we receive them, or only seldom. But the benefit we receive must be rendered again, line for line, deed for deed, cent for cent, to somebody.”

In 1916, Lily Hammond wrote, “You don’t pay love back; you pay it forward.”

The list goes on…

So, here’s our request to you: If you have gotten anything of value from visiting our office or reading our blog, we would like you to pay it forward.

In other words, if you have gotten pain relief… or good advice about health… or friendship… or anything at all… go do something good for someone else.

It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It just has to be something. You never know how much of an impact just being nice to someone can have on their life.

It can make all the difference in the world to that person. So please, pay it forward.

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